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Clinical Trial Summary

This study was aimed at testing the hypothesis that supplementing a meal with dark chocolate, which holds potent antioxidant properties, might attenuate the postprandial increase in the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG, clinical equivalent of portal pressure) in patients with cirrhosis


Clinical Trial Description

Previous studies showed that the intrahepatic circulation in cirrhosis is not able to adapt to sudden increases in blood flow, such as that occurring after a meal, due to endothelial dysfunction. This leads to a brisk increase in portal pressure (estimated by the HVPG). This method is therefore useful to assess the efficacy of compounds potentially ameliorating intrahepatic endothelial dysfunction. Dark chocolate, which contains a high proportion of cocoa flavonoids such as cathechin and epicatechin- powerful antioxidants, increases NO availability in the systemic circulation and improves systemic endothelial function. We hypothesised that the antioxidant properties of dark chocolate could be beneficial in patients with cirrhosis, since they might improve intrahepatic endothelial dysfunction. Consequently, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether a dark chocolate-containing test meal may attenuate the post-prandial increase in HVPG in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension.

HVPG was measured at baseline and 30 minutes after the administration of a test meal supplemented by either dark or white chocolate. Portal vein blood flow and hepatic artery blood flow were measured by Doppler ultrasound. Catechins and NOx were determined for both timepoints. ;


Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Investigator), Primary Purpose: Treatment


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT01408966
Study type Interventional
Source Hospital Clinic of Barcelona
Contact
Status Completed
Phase Phase 2
Start date August 2008
Completion date June 2009

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